Walnut Crusted Lemon Chicken Piccata

A twist on the classic Italian dish Chicken Piccata using walnuts as a grain-free option. You’ll love this one-pan dish that comes together in less than 20 minutes!

Oh hey guys, just another 20 minute meal for you all to enjoy on a busy weeknight. 20 minutes is about all the time I have during the week to make dinner………you too?? Well, you’ve come to the right recipe. I am so ecstatically happy on how delicious this recipe turned out. Simple ingredients, so much flavor, and full of healthy goodness! I have enjoyed a few different variations of chicken piccata, but I love this Gluten-Free and Paleo option. The addition of California Walnuts was absolutely perfect; it gave this dish just the right amount of texture and flavor.

Can we just talk about how awesome walnuts are? I love to snack on a variety of nuts, but walnuts really are superior when it comes to nutrition. They are the ONLY nut that provides a significant amount Omega-3 fatty acids, an essential nutrient that is severely lacking in the Standard American diet. I love that walnuts are so versatile and can add that perfect crunch and taste to any sweet or savory dish.

For this chicken piccata, the walnuts were easily broken down in a food processor to create a crumbly mixture that makes an easy replacement for bread crumbs! I coated each piece of chicken with a healthy amount of pulsed walnuts.

Once the chicken breasts were covered, I heated up a pan and added olive oil. I cooked the chicken breasts for only 3 minutes per side until they were seared nicely, and removed them to a plate.

I scraped up the bits of leftover walnuts, and created a drool-worthy sauce with fresh garlic, chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. This will only take a few more minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve!

I served over zucchini noodles, but pasta is also an option if not following a grain-free diet. Top with extra capers, fresh parsley and serve warm. SOOOOOOO delicious! This received a big thumbs up from the whole family.

Instructions

While pan is heating, pound chicken breasts so they are about 1/2 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper

Pulse walnuts in a food processor until it resembles a corse crumbly mixture, place inside a shallow bowl.

Place seasoned chicken breasts in the walnut coating, getting both sides.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, and all the chicken breasts into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Outside should be golden and crispy, and the inside should be cooked through. If your pan is too hot, remove from heat to prevent burning the walnuts. DO NOT OVERCOOK!! Remove to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Juice one of the lemons, and slice the other for serving (or juice it for the sauce if you want it EXTRA lemon-y, adjust to your taste).

Now make the lemon sauce: add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil (may need an extra tbsp), and scrape up any of the brown bits on the pan. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add lemon juice, chicken broth, and capers while you continue to scrape around the pan. Sauce should bubble and begin to thicken after 2-3 minutes. If you would like the sauce to be thicker, you can always add 2 tsp arrowroot starch with 1tbsp water and mix into the sauce.

Pour sauce over chicken and serve immediately with lemon slices and chopped parsley.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

I did it! It tastes so delicious. One thing though, when I grind my walnut it almost turned into a paste, which I did not think would happen. It was difficult for the grind to stick to the chicken like crumb breads would. Thanks for this light and delicious meal!

First, good luck with your test! Second, I am not a fan of walnuts… (really most nuts) do you have a substitute idea? What do you think about almond flour? I had a nice Chicken Piccata recipe that my husband loves, but alas no flour for Whole 30. Other than that it is W30 friendly. My husband is a creature of habit and so I have tried to stay fairly true to what he likes with ingredient modifications. Thanks for your advice and recipes. They have made this journey much more bearable.

I had high hopes but basically the walnuts just burned and turned black before the chicken cooked through. Maybe my chicken breasts were too large or the heat too high. Not sure. But I pounded them pretty flat and used medium high heat. Any tips?

I’ve made this twice now and both times we loved it! This is a new favorite in our home. The only change I made was using 1 tbspn of cornstarch rather than arrowstarch. I also let the sauce cool for 10 minutes before serving, which thickened it nicely.

[…] I also made walnut crusted lemon chicken. Chris liked it, I was just ok with it. However, I’m including the recipe here in case you’d like to try it. It’s Whole30 approved too if you don’t use the capers. I found it HERE at Wholesomelicious. […]

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I’m Amy, foodie, nutritionist, recipe developer, wife, and busy mom of 2. I am on a mission to create everyday nutritious recipes that taste absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I love comfort food with a healthy twist. Follow me as I share the simple meals I make for my family. I’ll make meal planning easy by telling you exactly what we eat every week! Read More